Email sent September 22, 2009

I decided to tell you about an experience we had on July 27.We had been to George Pecaoco’s house with the missionaries and decide to takethem home since it was getting late. They lived about a 15 min drive from ourhouse. The road is rough because of a lot of road work going on. We got themhome safe and was headed back to LaCarlota. We were just getting to the end ofthe sugar cane fields when we noticed a teenage girls standing on the side ofthe road waving her hands. We passed her and then both felt like we were to seeif she needed help. It was starting to rain, 9:15pm,no houses close by onlysugar cane fields, and dark! We were very concerned for her safety. She camerunning over to the truck and was talking very fast not in English. We told herwe only speak English and it soundedlike she only spoke Tagalog or Ilonggo. We told her we were going to LaCarlotaCity would she like a ride? That time of night and with the rain the chances ofher getting a ride was slim. She kept talking very fast and we had no idea whatshe was saying except maybe a subdivision. I opened the truck door for the backseat , she got in and just sat there. We told her to shut the door but shedidn’t know what we meant. I got out and shut the door. She wasn’t very bigmaybe 4 feet tall and the age was hard to guess. It was pretty obvious shehadn’t been in a truck like our before. She keep touching the windows andrubbing the seat covers. We headed toward town and I decided to ask her name in Ilonggo. Big mistake ! She startedtalking in her language really fast. She kept repeating a name but we had noidea what she was talking about. It was raining very hard by now so we wereglad we didn’t leave her standing there. We got into town and went to the usualplace to get rides. Nobody there because of the rain we guessed. We drove tothe gas station that was open and asked if they spoke English. A teenage boycame over to the truck and said he did a little. We told him the situation andhe spoke with the girl. Well come to find out she lives way up in the hills outby LaCastellana about 45km in theopposite direction we brought her. We told him we couldn’t keep her with us andshe would have to get out. She froze in the middle of the seat and was notgoing to move. We were trying to decided what to do when two young adults camewalking by. The boy seen my name tag and came right over. He said he was amember of our church and could they help.(to look at the way they were dressedyou would not of guessed they were members) The lady started talking to thegirl and found out basically what the boy had said. Yes we had brought her thewrong direction. The lady spoke very good English and we were grateful. Shetold us that we couldn’t help the girl because it would be too dangerous for usthis time of night and with the rain. We told them she couldn’t stay with us sowhat should we do? The lady told us to take her to the Police Station and letthem help her. The girl was a little “touched” she told us. We couldn’t believewe didn’t think of that, but where was the police station? We had seen the signbut couldn’t remember where. They offered to go with us and help get her takencare of. They tried to get the girl to slide over so they could get in but shewouldn’t move. The boy had to pick her up and move her over by the door. Westarted for the police station and the boy tells us they are relatives(brotherand sister in law). The lady was home on vacation from working abroad. When wegot to the Police Station the lady totally took charge and explained why wewere there. The policemen didn’t act too excited to help her. They probablydidn’t know what to do with her. The lady turned to us and said in English“These people have helped this girl be safe, so you need to take her. They needto be safe and can’t help her anymore. You need to get the girl!” The boy triedto get the girl out of the truck but she wouldn’t move. I went to the doorwhere she was sitting and opened it. I took her arm and helped her out. She gotout okay and didn’t seem as frightened. Then she started talking “ninety milesan hour”. The lady took the girl by the arm and lead her to the policeman. Shetold them “You can keep her here tonight and then take her home tomorrow.” Shetold us to get in the truck. I said I was worried about the girl. The lady said“The girl will be just fine. This is the best place for her right now. You needto get to your home and be safe. Sometimes bad things happen in thePhilippines.” We got in the truck and as we drove off I looked at thefrightened girl and felt so sad. I had a prayer in my heart that HeavenlyFather would help her. The boy starts telling us that he is a member but hasn’tgone to church in several years. He was going to go on a mission and had filledout his papers but got in with the wrong group. The lady said she thinks we arehis saving angels, so I said how about we take you by the church so you willknow where to go on Sunday at 9am. He was quick to say he knew where it wassince he has relatives that go every week. We thanked them a lot and took themto their home. As Elder and I drove home we started to talk about the event andmaybe we didn’t use the best judgement. Not being real knowledgeable about theculture. We both felt the spirit prompt us to stop and felt no danger, onlyconcern for the girl. It wasn’t until the lady kept talking about safety thatwe realized it could have been a trap to rob us or do harm. We feel like wecame along at that time to protect the girl, only God knows what could havehappened to her. We prayed hard that night for everything to be okay! What alearning experience!